In 2007, after the Christopher Paul Neil incident, Koreans learned a hard lesson: not all foreigners are good. More so, not all English Teachers may be good. But whether the South Korean population had already a discreet knowledge of this possibility, the recent activities of a vigilante group called Anti English Spectrum (AES) treats this as an entirely new and historical phenomenon.

AES's fundamentals are to save Korean women from foreigners and protect children from foreign influence. In essence, AES believes Koreans, who encounter foreign influence, are victims.


In the following statement, the leader of AES explains a flaw in the way government empowers these victims:

"When people suffer abuses such as violence from foreigners, if they directly contact the police, then their identities become exposed and they have to be subjected to investigation, and therefore because of that sense of burden, our members receive counseling through our cafe and they also report such abuse cases (of being victimized)."

AES was first formed, in reaction to an anonymous forum user who shared a post called "How to Molest Your Students." As the title implies, it listed a series of instructional techniques to take advantage of children. But it wasn't only the Korean population that was outraged. Members of the ESL Community were infuriated as well.

"wheh...tlqkf shaemfdk," one responder says, so dumbfounded and unable to produce coherent words.

And the list of responses continue, anywhere from "What are you thinking?" to simply, "Idiot."

From this isolated incident, to another, the AES began its witch hunt. The speculated leader of AES, Lee Eun-Eung (Internet Cafe owner of the AES website) has openly admitted to stalking 'suspected' foreigners, for up to 150 days. The end results are to gather as many violations and compile it as a case against the entire peninsula of Korea. Those who object to this cause AES brands as "Traitors" of Korea, especially Korean women who date Foreign men.

Some ESL members question AES on this matter, as one anonymous English Teacher asked, "How does this save Korean women?"

By: Jyu Young Lee